A Step Towards the Future
by jojor99
Summary: Drabble. Series 6 Episode 7 straight after the motor racing when Mary sees Henry sitting against the wall. A different path for Mary and Henry.
Mary saw Henry leaning against the wall looking absolutely distraught – as he should in the circumstances. She walked across and stopped in front of him. Henry looked up at her despairingly and she could not help but sit down next to him to comfort him. It went against everything she had been taught about manners and good breeding. She didn't even care what state her coat or dress would be in after sitting on the track. All that she could see was that Henry needed her and she wanted to help him.

"It's my fault," Henry said emotionally.

"How?"

"I pushed him to go faster. I goaded him. I said he wasn't as good as me."

"He said the same to you," she stated.

Henry looked at her and sighed. He reached over and grabbed her hand and held onto it tightly. "Thank you."

"For what?" she asked.

"For not running away from me. For staying even though it's probably bringing back the worst memories for you."

"I thought it was you," Mary said quietly looking down at her hand engulfed in his much larger one. "I thought my nightmares had come true and that once again the man I love had been taken away by another stupid car." There were tears sliding down her face and she could feel that an honest to goodness crying maelstrom was about to happen – something that hadn't happened since she finally broke down after Matthew's death.

"I'm sorry," Henry answered, letting go of her hand and raising it to cup her chin.

"I can't do this Henry. I can't watch and wait race after race for the moment when you're seriously injured or dead. I just can't," Mary replied, trying to get hold of her emotions.

She made to get up but Henry reached for her arm and stopped her.

"I'm not asking you to," he replied. "I can't do this anymore – not without Charlie. It was fun sharing it all with him. It won't be without him."

"You say that now…"

"I mean it Mary," he said using his hand to gently turn her head so they were facing each other with only the smallest distance between them.

"What will you do?" Mary asked.

Henry shrugged. "I haven't thought that far ahead. There is one thing though."

"And what is that?"

"You, Lady Mary Crawley, said just before that you love me."

Mary looked up abruptly realising that she had said that to him. "And?" she asked shakily.

Henry held her face between both hands. "And…I love you, Mary. If you can help me get through this and help me find a future – preferably one with you in it, I'd be eternally grateful."

Mary gulped and tried to think of something to say.

"I know that I don't have a title or a huge family fortune which is what you need in a husband…"

"That doesn't worry me anymore, Henry," she replied, shocking herself with that declaration.

"What does then?"

"I worry about you racing cars."

He looked at her searchingly. "Is that so?" he asked after a moment.

Mary wondered at her forthright answers to his questions. Normally she would keep those feelings to herself but there was something about Henry that made her speak her mind.

Henry suddenly stood up and then offered to help her. He then motioned for her to walk with him. They walked silently to the area set aside for drivers which at this time was empty. Once there Henry pulled Mary around to face him.

"Will you help me Mary?" he asked intently.

"With what?"

"Getting through all of this," he said motioning all around him. "I know that it's not easy for you – after your husband's death, but I need to talk to Charlie's family and…I don't know if I can do it alone."

Henry turned his back to her and she could tell that he was overcome with grief. She closed the gap, placed her hand on his shoulder and then walked around until she faced him.

"I'll try," she answered, surprising herself. "I can't promise you that I'll do it well though. That's not really me."

He smiled for the first time since the awful crash and placed his hand against her cheek. "That will be enough."

Mary returned his smile and leant her face against his palm. Henry then slowly moved to kiss her.

* * *

AN - Mary being Mary would mean that this wouldn't happen but it's something that came to me and just wouldn't leave me alone.

I was totally determined not to like Henry Talbot as I knew a little about what would happen but surprisingly I don't mind him. Though I think everything that happened between them in S6 E8 wasn't done at all well.


End file.
